New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday called the Blue Whale challenge a “national problem”. The apex court also directed Doordarshan and private television channels to help create awareness about the deadly game, by telecasting the dangers of the game in their prime time programmes. The Centre informed the court that it has set up an expert […]

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday called the Blue Whale challenge a “national problem”.

The apex court also directed Doordarshan and private television channels to help create awareness about the deadly game, by telecasting the dangers of the game in their prime time programmes.

The Centre informed the court that it has set up an expert committee to look into the issue and file a report within three weeks.

The government’s move comes days after the Supreme Court asked it to set up a panel of experts to block virtual dare games, like the Blue Whale challenge, which has allegedly led to several suicidal deaths.

The court had also asked the government to respond to a plea seeking to firewall potentially deadly and violent online games like ‘Choking game’, ‘Salt and Ice Challenge’, ‘Fire Challenge’, ‘Cutting challenge’, ‘Eyeball challenge’ and ‘Human Embroidery game’.

The challenge was termed a ‘suicide game,’ which manipulated impressionable teenagers to complete a series of dark challenges, like listening to ‘dark songs’ and self-harming, and ultimately goading the youngster to commit suicide.

Jharsuguda: A nursing student was reportedly rescued in a critical condition from the claws of lethal game Blue Whale Challenge in Jharsuguda district today. The victim has been identified as a nursing student, Janani Bagarti, of Pipilimal village under Lakhanpur Tehsil. According to reports, family members of the victim had kept a watch on her […]

Bhubaneswar: First the students of technical institutions should concentrate on building a career and limit indulgence over social media. Calling for a proper balance and judicious use of the technology and Internet in particular, experts and psychologists advised students not to fall prey to cyber threats like dangerous IT-based game Blue Whale and be firm […]

Bhubaneswar: First the students of technical institutions should concentrate on building a career and limit indulgence over social media. Calling for a proper balance and judicious use of the technology and Internet in particular, experts and psychologists advised students not to fall prey to cyber threats like dangerous IT-based game Blue Whale and be firm towards their commitments for parents, family and kin.

Speaking at an awareness workshop on “Cyber Security and Threats Like Blue Whale’’ on the campus of CV Raman Engineering College under the aegis of NSS today, speakers were of the opinion that the society and especially students must increase human interactions in their lives and cut down dependence on gadgets like Smart phones so that the isolated state of mind and at times, depression may prove fatal as many victims playing dangerous computer-based games are admitting to depression behind their effort to go for the deadly encounters.

As making friends on social media is partly a type of virtual reality as many identities are false, students must not be too attached to the social media options and lose their emotional strength, they said, adding stress management has to become the `mantra’ to gain control over their brains.

RN Behera, senior technical director at National Informatics Centre, Bhubaneswar said “threat like Blue Whale is more psychological than technical, hence the students must develop interests in sports, extracurricular activities and more focus in studies so that the `weak’ mind would be dominated by the stronger self to have a better life.’’

Manisha Mishra, counselling psychologist from IIT Bhubaneswar said “apart from Blue Whale like threat the campuses should be free from menaces like eve teasing, name calling, Internet addiction, substance abuse and depression. The students should also learn to manage peer group pressure so that they can have a balanced life and study well.’’

She advised the students also to accept as one’s self and do not feel disturbed by what others feel about him/her, depend on one’s emotional quotient and not only on IQ and be brave to say a firm `no’ if there is a need.

Principal of the college Bhavesh Bhattacharya terming the social media `trap’ an unnecessary evil for the society, advised the students to spend quality time with their families, extended families, kin and friends. Saying that social media friends and “not permanent and only seasonal ones’’ he also welcomed “productive use of the Internet and social media.’’

Gender specialist from Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) Sarojini Brahma while providing an all-round introduction to the concept of “Safe Campus, Safe City’’ outlined how students in different campuses across the city are sensitised on the challenges of campus life and how to remain “socially smart’’ and go ahead as successful students in life.

Hinting at the various vulnerable sides of life as students in city campuses, she advised students to have social groups to talk to each other to lessen depression and tensions of student life. It can be mentioned here that BSCL and UNFPA are jointly organising awareness programmes across campuses to make students “socially smart.’’

Jajpur/Bhubaneswar: A 13-year-old student of the Gada Madhupur village under Jenapur police limits in Jajpur district cut his left arm with a blade to carve an image of a blue whale. He was rescued by the police on Thursday. The minor identified as Madan Mohan Sahoo was playing the deadly game since 15 days and […]

Jajpur/Bhubaneswar: A 13-year-old student of the Gada Madhupur village under Jenapur police limits in Jajpur district cut his left arm with a blade to carve an image of a blue whale. He was rescued by the police on Thursday.

The minor identified as Madan Mohan Sahoo was playing the deadly game since 15 days and was suffering from mental trauma for few days, said the boy’s mother.

Notably, Binjharapur police had rescued a Class IX student of Pritipur High School on Wednesday from the clutches of the game after a teacher of the school had informed the police.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Commissionerate police had rescued an engineering student in Cuttack who was addicted to the deadly online game Blue Whale challenge that has really stood as a challenge to tackle.

As the game has created a panic like situation in Odisha after reported suicide of youths by playing the Blue Whale challenge, the police has swung into action to rescue victims and also issued advisory in this regard.

In the wake of rising Blue Whale challenge victims in Odisha, DGP RP Sharma took a review of issues related to the game following which he issued detailed guidelines to all district SPs to tackle the menace with advisory for parents, teachers and police officers in the state on Wednesday.

Cuttack: In the wake of rising Blue Whale challenge victims in Odisha, DGP RP Sharma took a review of issues related to the game following which he issued detailed guidelines to all district SPs to tackle the menace with advisory for parents, teachers and police officers in the state. A review of case studies related […]

Cuttack: In the wake of rising Blue Whale challenge victims in Odisha, DGP RP Sharma took a review of issues related to the game following which he issued detailed guidelines to all district SPs to tackle the menace with advisory for parents, teachers and police officers in the state.

A review of case studies related to the Blue Whale game revealed certain signs and symptoms noticed in the behavioral pattern of victims of this online game which the parents and teachers should take note of:

Stops interacting with family and friends

Often talks about running away from home or even death

Changes eating and/or sleeping habits

Signs of depression

Spending too much of time on his / her phone

Begun to look sad or lonely

Started to lock his / her room

Hurt marks on his / her arms or thighs

Suddenly started watching horror movies or psychedelic thrillers

Putting strange updates on his / her social media pages

Started spending time on terrace alone

Justifies the act of children who are committing suicide

Shows sudden outburst of anger

Loses interest in activities that they used to enjoy earlier

GUIDELINES FOR POLICE:

IICs / OICs have been instructed to convene meeting with Principals / Heads of Schools & Colleges and appraise them the dangers associated with the lethal online game “The Blue Whale Challenge”.

The Heads of the Educational Institutions shall be requested to convene Parents-Teachers Meeting to sensitize the parents and make Awareness Campaign amongthe students in their educational institutions.

IICs / OICs have been instructed to quickly respond to the reports / incidents associated with the lethal online game “The Blue Whale Challenge.

To take immediate steps in identifying the links / mobile based applications / web based applications containing Blue Whale Challenge game and furnish the same to CID Crime Branch for taking prompt steps in removing those links from internet.

IICs / OICs have been instructed to conduct frequent checking at Cyber Café and their computer systems for availability of any link / website (from Internet Search History) pertaining to various online games like: Blue Whale Challenge, A Quiet House, A Silent House, A Sea of Whales, Wake Me Up at 4:20 am and take immediate steps in removing of those links & formatting of those computer systems.

ROLE OF PARENTS:

If the teenagers are seemingly lost, lonely and depressed, parents must take serious and immediate action to get them involved socially in the real world and divert their mind by providing activities or giving them something new to learn.

Do not interrogate your child. Instead engage in a friendly discussion.

If you see any attempt of self-harm, go straight to a psychiatrist instead of a physician.

Make sure that your child has access to age appropriate online sites which do not promote unethical behavior or violence.

Always ensure that your child accesses internet from a computer placed in the family space.

Talk to your child more often. Explore the online world together and engage in interesting activities demonstrating ethical and safe online behavior.

Be a role model to your child. Be conscious of your own online activities.

Teach your kids not to share their personal information on the Internet.

Talk to other parents, share concerns if any and discuss best ways to help your children.

Keep yourself updated with recent internet phenomena.

Observe your child’s behavior closely. Be alert to any unusual changes like moodiness, less or no communication, lack of interest in studies and falling grades.

If you notice any such changes, closely monitor his/her online activities, talk to school authorities or consult a child psychologist.

If you find out that your child is already playing the Blue Whale Challenge, immediately stop him/her from using the internet from any devices& counsel.

Let them know that they can talk to you about anything wrong they see or come across online.

Help them understand that strangers in real life are no different from strangers on the Internet.

Caution them against joining any groups that ask them to perform undesirable tasks.

Consider giving your children phones that they can use for just calling and texting.

ROLE OF TEACHERS:

Teachers need to keep an eye on falling grades and social behavior of the students.

They need to monitor the behavior of each and every child.

They should look for anti-social behavior, they should personally talk to such children who don’t interact with the other children much or are aloof.

If they observe something that may seem suspicious or alarming, they should inform the school authorities immediately.

They should ensure that children are sensitized about the pros and cons of the internet from time to time.

Cuttack: Twin City Commissionerate police today rescued an engineering student in Cuttack who was addicted to the deadly online game Blue Whale challenge that has really stood as a challenge to tackle. According to sources, the young boy, a student of a private engineering college here, is believed to have completed over half of Blue […]

Cuttack: Twin City Commissionerate police today rescued an engineering student in Cuttack who was addicted to the deadly online game Blue Whale challenge that has really stood as a challenge to tackle.

According to sources, the young boy, a student of a private engineering college here, is believed to have completed over half of Blue Whale suicide game stages.

One friend of the victim noticed him depressed and twitted the Commissionerate police suspecting something is not going right with him.

As the game has created a panic like situation in Odisha after reported suicide of youths by playing the Blue Whale challenge, the police swung into action and rescued him.

“The boy was rescued in a depressed state and handed over to the parents after counseling,” Cuttack DCP Akhileswar Singh said.

The student hails from Keonjhar. He was staying in a rented house in CDA area under Markat Nagar police limits and had completed 10 levels of the deadly online game, police sources said.